Graphic Design

  • BFA
  • Major
Student in the design computer lab.

Design the world you see or want to see! From smartphone apps to subway posters, graphic designers shape how we experience the world. This four-year pre-professional program combines rigorous studio practice with liberal arts coursework to develop you as a creative problem-solver and design thinker. You'll master typography, imagery, layout, and media to communicate with impact—and build a portfolio that demonstrates your range across graphic design, UX/UI, motion graphics, creative coding, and more. Graduates have gone on to work with organizations like Instagram, L'Oréal, MSNBC, and MoMA.

.

Typography sketches on graph paper.

Program Highlights

  • Hands-on training in typography, branding, web, motion and print design
  • Courses in color theory, composition, art history and creative coding
  • Emphasis on concept development, teamwork and professional presentations
  • Small class sizes for personalized mentorship and feedback
  • Real-world portfolio development with a wide range of media
  • Faculty with deep industry experience and creative expertise
  • Graduates work in top creative roles across media and design industries

Career Options

Montclair’s Visual Communication Design graduates have found work in a variety of professional settings, including design studios, advertising agencies, public relations firms and publishing companies. Some also work as freelancers or start their own businesses. Possible careers include:

Advertising Design
Book Cover Design
Corporate Creative Services
Design Education
Environmental Design
Exhibition Design for trade shows and museums

Film, Video and Video Game Graphic Design
Interactive Design for websites, video games and computer displays
Logo, Identity and Brand Design
Magazine and Page Layout Design
Information Design

Package Design
Retail Design
Television Graphics
Type Design
Product Graphics
Web Design

Turn your passion for design into a powerful career!

Portfolio Requirements

There is no single template or right way to make a portfolio. We want to see how you think, what you care about, and how you make visual work.Your portfolio should show creativity, curiosity, and potential — not polish. We're interested in students who are visually engaged, open to experimentation, and serious about developing their ideas.

Requirements and Guidelines

We review portfolios for creativity, originality, composition, use of color, idea development, and attention to detail. Strong portfolios show a range of visual exploration and clear potential to grow as a designer.

Observational drawing can demonstrate skill, but it shouldn't be the only thing in your portfolio. We're looking for conceptual thinking and creative range.

Your portfolio doesn't need to be perfect. We're looking for emerging designers and creative thinkers with strong potential. Show us work that feels original, honest, and most like you.

Submit 15 pieces of your strongest work. Quality matters more than quantity. Choose work that shows variety, experimentation, and your personal interests. Your portfolio may include any mix of drawing, painting, photography, collage, digital design, typography, illustration, motion, or 3D work. You don't need to include every category — submit what best represents you.

For each project, include a title, medium or format, and a brief description — noting whether it was a school or personal project, tools used, your role if collaborative, and a short explanation of the concept or process. Keep the presentation simple and clear.

Because this is a visual communication design program, it helps if at least some work shows interest in graphic design, image-making, or typography.

We also strongly encourage process work — sketchbook pages, drafts, and revisions. Process helps us understand how you think and develop ideas, and may be included in addition to your 15 finished pieces.

  • Work copied too closely from another artist's or designer's style
  • Anime or superhero work that imitates an existing visual style without showing your own voice
  • Canva templates or assets used without meaningful original development
  • AI-generated work submitted without explanation of your process and decisions
  • Portfolios made up entirely of portraits or observational work
  • Poorly photographed or low-resolution images

Your portfolio should reflect your own creative work. If you used AI tools in any project, be transparent about how and why. We're most interested in your ideas, judgment, and design decisions. Work that relies heavily on AI without clear evidence of your own authorship will not strengthen your application.

Featured Faculty

1/

Related Programs

Questions? We're Here to Help.

Undergraduate Admissions Office

Whether you’re looking to begin an application, have questions about transferring to Montclair or trying to check your application status, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions is pleased to help you in any way we can.

For more than five decades, the Department of Art and Design has educated artists and designers who interpret, impact and often shape the world as we experience it.